Sunday, January 17, 2010

This past Tuesday January 12, the country of Haiti was devastated by a 7.0-magnitude earthquake estimated to affect nearly three million people.

In light of initial reports documenting a dire need for orthopaedic supplies, the Operation Walk Board of Directors has decided to ship the orthopaedic cargo being stored in the Dominican Republic to Haitian hospitals located near the Dominican border.

In addition, physicians and surgeons from the Hospital Plaza de La Salud in Santo Domingo have been working with Partners In Health to provide care and supplies for those in need.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Haiti, especially those who have lost loved ones.

Brigham and Women's Hospital

About Us

Operation Walk Boston, established in 2007 by Dr. Thomas Thornhill and Dr. Richard Scott from the Department of Orthopedics at Brigham and Women's Hospital, strives to improve the quality of life for impoverished patients through the direct and indirect delivery of orthopedic health care. We accomplish this directly by reducing the disabling burden of advanced joint disease and trauma through orthopedic surgical intervention, and indirectly through the education of local orthopedic staff and other healthcare providers.

Specific Goals of Operation Walk Boston:

* Provide free joint replacement and rehabilitation services to individuals around the world who would otherwise be unable to afford or receive such care.

* Educate local health care providers in delivery of such surgical procedures and post-operative rehabilitation.

Our volunteer team is comprised of healthcare professionals from Brigham and Women's Hospital and other Boston area hospitals including surgeons, anesthesiologists, medical physicians, nurses, physician assistants, physical therapists and other critical operating room personnel.

Team Operation Walk Boston

Team members have made trips in 2008 and 2009 to the Dominican Republic as part of Operation Walk Boston.

How You Can Help

Operation Walk Boston is planning to return to the Dominican Republic for a third mission in March 2010. We ask for your support in making this trip a reality. Your support will help us in our mission to relieve the physical, emotional, and social suffering caused by the severe disabling effects of degenerative joint disease and trauma.

Every mission requires compassionate volunteers who receive no financial compensation for their time and skills. We are fortunate to be associated with dedicated medical equipment suppliers that have donated the costly instruments and joint implants. Yet even with this generous donation, our last mission to the Dominican Republic cost nearly $100,000 more than the donated equipment.

By making a donation you will help us to fund our trip to the Dominican Republic and the many needs associated with this trip including travel, accommodations, delivery of cargo, and other related expenses.